new store

Columbia Pike’s New Late Night Hub

By ARLnow.com

Within a year the area around Bob & Edith’s Diner (2310 Columbia Pike) will become a late night hub, complete with a 7-Eleven, a 6,500 square foot bar/restaurant and a 24-hour fitness center.

The first of the three new businesses to open will be Xsport Fitness, a 12,000 square foot, 24  hour per day, 365 day per year gym on the ground floor of the Siena Park apartment complex (2301 Columbia Pike).

If you’ve driven by during the day, you’ve probably seen muscle-bound Xsport representatives promoting discounted pre-opening memberships. General manager Matt Minuth, who can apparently bench press 900 pounds, says the company is offering free enrollment and a lifetime monthly rate of $19.95 for customers who sign up in advance. (Normally there is a $99 enrollment fee.)

Minuth says he expects the gym to open mid-July. In addition to modern fitness equipment, the gym will offer personal training sessions, tanning booths, a juice bar, a club store and a child care area.

Next up is William Jeffrey’s Tavern, a new neighborhood bar/restaurant concept from the owners of Rhodeside Grill and Ragtime.

Also located on the ground floor of the Siena Park apartments, William Jeffrey’s will offer “quality eclectic-American cuisine at reasonable prices,” according to a press release. The restaurant will feature “a well-stocked bar with several beers on tap, a full wine list, space for private parties, weekend brunch, live acoustic music, and multiple HDTVs.”

Restaurant partner Wilson Whitney says he’s hoping to have William Jeffrey’s open by mid-November.

Finally, a new 7-Eleven store is reportedly opening across the street, in the old Saah furniture store at 2330 Columbia Pike. According to Pike Wire, the new 7-Eleven — located just four blocks from an existing 7-Eleven — is expected to open in the first quarter of 2012.

Morning Poll: Oil and Vinegar Store in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Shirlington Village Blog reports that a new store called Ah Love Oil & Vinegar hopes to open in Shirlington in two weeks.

According to its Facebook page, the store will offer “over 35 olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars… bottled on the premises for you.” The oils will be imported from around the world and dispensed from air-tight tanks, which will “[ensure] the best flavor intensity.” Each purchase will include recipes and mixing ideas.

The store will also offer olive oil-based soaps, skin and hair care products and a limited selection of foods to accompany the oils and vinegars.

We thought the store’s concept sounded interesting, but wondered about the business potential for a store built around two products that many people consider a twice-a-year purchase at the grocery store. Would you go out of your way to purchase olive oil or balsamic vinegar from a dedicated store?

Ice Cream, Smoothies Coming Soon to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Health nuts and sweet tooths will both have something to celebrate as two new stores prepare to open in Clarendon this summer.

South Block Smoothie & Burrito Co. is telling fans on Facebook that it hopes to open at the corner of 11th and Garfield Streets “around the 4th of July.” The store will offer real fruit smoothies, whole wheat burritos, salad wraps, acai bowls and Pleasant Pops, according to its web site.

South Block is located in a 714-square-foot storefront on the ground floor of the Clarendon Center project’s ‘south block’ building. It’s being launched by Amir Mostafavi, who owns the Campus Fresh store in George Washington University’s Lerner Health & Wellness Center.

A couple of blocks away from South Block’s health-conscious vibe, Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream is planning on opening at 3018 Wilson Boulevard, in the Clarendon Center project’s ‘north block’ building. Signs in the window say Larry’s will open on June 15.

The location is the second for Larry’s Homemade — which currently has a store in Crystal City. Larry’s will offer locally-sourced and produced ice cream, as well as sundaes, shakes, non-fat yogurt, espresso drinks, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, biscotti, muffins, pastries and baklava.

According to its web site, Larry’s 40+ ice cream flavors include exotic options like ginger, green tea, Kahlua, lychee, cardamom, orange chocolate chunk and lemon grass.

New Lee Highway Pet Store to Hold Grand Opening

By ARLnow.com

Unleashed (5400 Lee Highway) opened for business last week and now its planning a grand opening celebration this weekend.

The store is part of the ‘Unleashed’ boutique pet store chain run by giant pet retailer Petco. It replaced a Blockbuster video store that closed in January.

On Saturday and Sunday the store will hold a grand opening sale with 50 percent off a number of products, including certain natural dog and cat foods. Employees are also handing out $5.00 off coupons to those who stop by the store this week.

Shirlington’s Curious Grape to Become Cheesetique?

By ARLnow.com

Alexandria’s Cheesetique will be taking over operations at the Shirlington location of fellow cheese-and-wine shop The Curious Grape (4056 Campbell Avenue) in Shirlington later this year, according to Cheesetique owner Jill Erber.

“I can confirm that we plan on opening in the current Curious Grape [location] this autumn,” Erber said in an email yesterday afternoon. “The details are being hammered out, so I don’t have more specifics for now.”

Cheesetique, located in the Del Rey section of Alexandria, is a specialty cheese shop with an integrated wine and cheese bar. In addition to cheese, the bar also serves small plates, simple entrees and charcuterie.

A message left for The Curious Grape management on Monday has not been returned.

Update at 4:40 p.m. — Apparently there’s some confusion stemming from the fact that we said Cheesetique was taking over “operations” at Curious Grape’s Shirlington location. Erber wants it known that Cheesetique is not taking over Curious Grape as a company, only the physical store location.

Update at 3:55 p.m. — We’ve finally heard back from Curious Grape’s management. They issued the following press release this afternoon.

The report that a cheese shop is taking over the operations of Arlington’s A List #1 wine store, The Curious Grape, is false.   No other entity is taking over The Curious Grape or its operations.  While we do not think that ARLnow report was intended to be misleading, the report is totally untrue.  We are unsure how anyone could have come to the conclusions as reported in ARLnow, but there has been no discussion, plans or agreement between the Curious Grape and Cheestique, or anyone else, to take over The Curious Grape’s operations.

The Curious Grape would invite Cheestique to retract any impression that it will take over The Curious Grape’s operations.  Further, the use of the Curious Grape logo in the ARLnow report was in no way authorized by The Curious Grape, and that misimpression should be corrected as well.  While we wish Cheestique well, the misleading publicity is unfortunate.

The simple fact is that The Curious Grape will not be continuing in its present location in Shirlington, and will make an announcement at the appropriate time of its future plans.   Please do not announce the demise of Arlington’s WUSA A List number one wine retailer.  We are very alive, well and will continue!  Please stand by for future announcements about The Curious Grape.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Ann Taylor Coming to Clarendon — An Ann Taylor store is coming to the Clarendon Market Common storefront formerly occupied by a Myer-Emco home electronics store. The new Clarendon Ann Taylor is expected to open on June 10, according to Market Common spokesperson Carol Nahorniak. [Clarendon Culture]

Tapas Bar Coming to Ballston — Upper Crust Gourmet (1000 N. Randolph Street) closed late last month for renovations. According to Eat More Drink More, the three-week project will transform the well-liked cafe into a tapas bar. [Eat More Drink More]

Club 31-11 Had Fights, Armed Security — What really went on behind the scenes at the recently-shuttered Club 31-11 on Columbia Pike? Gambling, fights, open-carrying security guards and frequent visits from police, according to Pike Wire. The owner says he was “harassed” by police due to the club’s primarily black clientele, but police say that charge is “way off base” and the visits had more to do with the club’s lack of permits. [Pike Wire]

Hynes Wins ‘Noise’ Award — Mary Hynes has won the 2011 Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E.), a group dedicated to controlling aviation noise. Hynes has assisted N.O.I.S.E. with its annual legislative forum and has organized public meetings about helicopter noise in Northern Virginia.

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More Registered Voters Than Residents? — Something here doesn’t add up. There are 14 voting precincts in Arlington where there are more registered voters than voting-age residents, at least according to recent census figures. [Sun Gazette]

New 7-Eleven Coming to the Pike — A new 7-Eleven store is coming to 2330 Columbia Pike, across from the new Siena Park and Penrose Square apartments. The 24-hour convenience store is expected to open in the beginning of 2012. It replaces a former furniture store. [Pike Wire]

On Books and Soldiers — The Arlington Public Library Central Auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street) will be hosting a community book discussion tonight focusing on the military. The discussion, starting at 7:00 p.m., will be led by Georgetown University professor Nancy Sherman, who has also taught ethics at the U.S. Naval Academy. She’ll discuss two books in particular: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien and The Good Soldiers by David Finkel. [Arlington Public Library]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Sign Goes Up at Penrose Square Giant — The Giant supermarket that will be opening at the corner of Columbia Pike and South Adams Street this summer is teasing residents with a new sign. The sign went up recently on the side of the new Penrose Square apartment complex, in which the 60,000 square foot store will be located.

Fitness Center Coming to the Pike This Summer — Just up the street from the aforementioned Giant, a new 12,000 square foot Xsport Fitness Center is planning on opening on the ground floor of the Siena Park apartment building this summer. Xsports plans to stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. [Pike Wire]

East Falls Church Hearing Scheduled — The County Board has voted to advertise an April 16 public hearing on its controversial East Falls Church development plan. If the vocal opposition to the plan at Saturday’s board meeting was any indication, April’s hearing ought to be interesting. [Sun Gazette]

Courtesy photo

Smoothie Store Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A homegrown smoothie store called South Block Blends is coming to the corner of 11th Street and North Garfield Street in Clarendon.

South Block Blends will specialize in “California-inspired real fruit smoothies” and “exotic & healthy burritos,” according to its nascent web site. The store’s Facebook page shows various views of the currently empty, 714-square-foot storefront, on the ground floor of the Clarendon Center project’s “south block” building.

Typically, build-out and permit acquisition for a store like South Block Blends would take about 6 months.

Photo via Facebook

Crumbs Bakeshop to Open on Thursday

By ARLnow.com

Crumbs Bakeshop, the New York City-based cupcake chain, will open its new Clarendon store on Thursday, the company Tweeted this morning.

The Clarendon Crumbs is located at 2839 Clarendon Boulevard. It is the chain’s first Arlington location, and second D.C. area location.

The company’s store openings are often accompanied by big product giveaways.

The photos above were taken in November.

Update at 2:35 p.m. — A 1,000 cupcake giveaway will be held on Saturday, Jan. 8.

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